Martie Rhoden Bessler
As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself focusing on my blessings.
With all the unrelenting heartache and exhaustion that comes with caregiving for my adult son with SMI, I don’t know where I would be today if I hadn’t been introduced to this SMI community th
at I am a part of today.
There are so many out there working so hard for change as well. I cannot even begin to list everyone and every organization!
What a Blessing all of you are. I’m blessed by your friendship and your advocacy. Just knowing you are out there trying to make a difference means so much to me. This is especially true during those difficult times when I am able to get up and go on another day, only by the grace of God and him leading me to all of you. Thank you!
Recently, I attended a symposium by SARDAA for the reclassification of schizophrenia and related disorders. I knew that if I went, I would be able to meet more of my earth heroes and learn more about SMI. However, I also knew I was taking the risk of coming home to my son becoming having become more ill during my absence. I went, but I had to plan ahead and be very discriminating about each event I attended. I knew I could only be gone for a maximum of two days. Many of us deal with this difficult choice every time we leave our loved ones for any length of time.
In 1991, my husband died of cancer when we had four little boys under the age of seven. What I didn’t know then but know now is that the cancer experience doesn’t even come close to the trauma of my son’s affliction and suffering with schizoaffective disorder.
We have much to do to fix this failed system of care. We all are a part of this demand for change. We are together in the fight.
I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving and a peaceful and joy-filled Christmas season!
The Treatment Advocacy Center is equally thankful for people like Martie who have joined us in the fight to reform our broken mental health system. To learn more about our work click here.